Friday: Masabe Sade to Mitzpe Ramon to Shabbat

For me, this day was the most difficult thus far. The milage wasn't so bad, about 50 miles; it was that this was the third day; it was the visit to Sderot; and it was the heat...at times over 100%. Add to that the pain I was feeling every time I sat on my saddle and the climb to Mitzpe Ramon. And that hill! Many times on this day I thought to myself...oy vey iz mir...why did I want to do this again?


Then there was the following:

Sderot was incredible. As we rode in there were children lining the road to greet us. One of the riders, also named Steve, went to the fence to talk to them. They wanted to know who we were, where we were from and what we were doing. He told them that we were riding from Jerusalem to Eilat and that many of us were from the United States. One student, in 3rd or 4th grade wondered if we had rode our bikes to Jerusalem from the United States? After he explained that we had shipped our bikes here the child asked: "Don't you know about the rockets?" Steve replied: "We came to see you and to deliver bikes for you to play with." The child turned to him and simply said: "Todah." Suddenly the pain I felt in my saddle disapated. When our group from Adath Israel decided to donate 6 bikes that morning, I was feeling pretty good. In fact I was feeling great...we had performed multiple mitzvot that morning: we strengthened those in need of strengthening and we gave some children the opportunity for fun and hope. Mitzvah gorreret Mitzvah -- One mitzvah leads to another. All this in less than 1/2 hour.


As the ride continued, I was reminded of my body at frequent intervals. It was hard, but thank God for the other riders; people from around the world who have gathered together to ride for the environment, Israel and peace. In the few days of shared experience, the 75 of us have become fast friends. Never have I been on a Jewish program of this nature and not have one person complain!? Hahephekh...the opposite...I have rarely met a more ecletic and caring group of people who constantly go out of their way to help and support each other accomplish what for many of us is the biggest physical challenge we have ever attempted.


There were times on Friday (the last 7 miles or so) when I thought I'd have to get off the bike and bus it into Mitzpe Ramon. I was quickly running out of steam when Rachel from Boston rode up beside me (also exhausted) and then suddenly the city came into view from the distance. We literally encouraged each other every pedal of the way to finish. At times we were travelling a whopping 6.5 miles an hour, but we kept going. And we made it. I don't think I would have made it alone.


The sense of community was especially felt over Shabbat. As Miles posted, it was hamesh, it was lively, and it was filled with ruah (spirit). Jews from the world over (and a couple of Muslims and Christians too) gathered together to welcome Shabbat with song and prayer and a delicious meal. It was very meaningful. I was priviledged to lead Kabbalat Shabbat, Shaharit, Minhah and a text study.

Shabbat afternoon was spent taking a walk to the Makhtesh. What is a makhtesh you ask? Excellent question. There are three in the world and they all are found in Israel. Imagine a sombrero in which the center part of the hat suddenly imploded. That’s a mahktesh. It’s a geological wonder in which layer upon layer of the earths fauna and fossil record have been maintained. Makhtesh Ramon is the largest of the three. Mitzpe Ramon is located on its highest crustal wall. On Shabbat afternoon I took some of the members of our group to the Makhtesh for a look-see. It was beautiful, majestic and magnificent. While overlooking it we were awed by the nature of the world and our miniscule place in it. We also reflected a bit on this experience and how it has challenged us in so many different ways. From the Makhtesh we continued toward the visitor’s center where I led our group to a cave overlooking the Makhtesh form a different angle. I have been to this cave on numerous occasions, but have never entered for fear of heights. There is one step at the very beginning that has always spooked me a bit. Not this time, however, after all I did ride my bike from Jerusalem to Mitzpe Ramon…what’s a little step. So with a great leap of faith I entered the cave with the others who were daring and we enjoyed a beautiful overlook of the Makhtesh. Jeff Seligsohn rightfully asked for a moment of silence to really soak in the experience. It was very tense.

Then when we concluded we recited the berakhah for seeing wondrous things in nature: Barukh ata Hashem, Elokeynu Melekh HaOlam, Oseh Maaseh Bereisheet – We acknowledge you o Lord, Master of the Universe who creates such wondrous things.

Amen.

It was a beautiful Shabbat. One sorely needed!